Perenco UK Makes Gas Discovery in North Sea Asset

Perenco UK (PUK) has announced a near-field discovery on its 100 percent owned Ravenspurn South asset, with a new well, C06, proving gas in a previously undrilled fault block downdip of the currently producing field.

The new RS C06 well has found a 295-foot (90-meter) section of fully gas-bearing Lower Leman Sandstone, Rotliegend Formation, with reservoir properties in line with nearby Ravenspurn South producers.

Perenco said the well is the third one in its Southern North Sea (SNS) 2023 drilling campaign using the Valaris-247 rig, and follows the successful drilling of Ravenspurn North sidetracks, D15 and D16, which produce in aggregate 30 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfpd), the company said in a recent news release.

The initial rate of the discovery, forecast for January 2024, is expected to deliver a base case of around 12 MMscfpd, or 2,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), bringing 21 billion standard cubic feet in incremental reserves after 30 years, Perenco said.

After completion with the Valaris-247 rig, the well will be stimulated with support from a Petrodec ERDA jack-up barge. A well test will enable effective monitoring and clean-up before connecting the gas produced from the new well via the Cleeton Hub into Perenco’s Dimlington terminal, according to the release.

“A further gas discovery on Ravenspurn South marks the latest new producing well, as part of PUK’s SNS 2023 drilling campaign and this successful result opens the door for further development of the Ravenspurn South field”, PUK General Manager Jonathan White said in the release.

PUK has been present in the UK Southern North Sea Basin since 2003 and has operated Europe's largest onshore oil field at Wytch Farm since 2011. In the North Sea, PUK processes almost 15 percent of the United Kingdom’s (UK) national gas production. It owns and operates the largest infrastructure on the UK Continental Shelf, comprising 45 offshore platforms, 14 subsea wells, and a network of more than 1,491.3 miles (2,400 kilometers) of pipelines connected to its two onshore terminals at Bacton and Dimlington where the gas is received, treated, metered and then exported into the UK National Grid. The company produces approximately 40,000 boepd, of which approximately 14,000 barrels are from Wytch Farm, in which PUK holds a 95 percent share.

Vietnam Production Milestone

Meanwhile, Perenco Vietnam marked a production milestone of 400 million barrels of oil. Since its discovery, Block 15-1 has contributed more than $13 billion to the Vietnamese state budget, brought international investment and provided energy security by delivering natural gas to the country’s national market, Perenco said in a separate news release.

Block 15-1 is located 111.8 miles (180 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City in approximately 154.2 feet (47 meters) of water. Perenco Vietnam has a 23.25 percent interest in the block, which is operated by the Cuu Long Joint Operating Company (Cuu Long JOC) and in which state company PVEP holds a 50 percent interest.

“These important recent milestones clearly highlight the ongoing success of Perenco’s activities in Vietnam”, Perenco Vietnam General Manager Alexis Heydenreich said. “With Block 15-1 reaching its 400 million barrels of production, it continues to be an extremely important offshore asset, making a vital contribution to both the country’s energy security and economy. Additional success relating to NCSP further demonstrates the robust nature of Vietnam’s national gas delivery system. We are extremely proud to play our part in the ongoing success story of Vietnam’s energy sector and look to the future, continuing safe and effective operations, with confidence”.

Perenco has been operating in Vietnam since 2012 and plays a major role in securing the country’s supply of the natural gas required for its ongoing development. Perenco Vietnam, part of the UK-based Perenco Group, plays a significant role in Block 15-1, the second largest oil and gas block in Vietnam, and holds a 16.3 percent interest in the Nam Con Son pipeline.

Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE